The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1887-05-13
SENATOR REAGANs LITTER.

4 1seN bff&t6H w tNE OAAa8W JthbhN f46N%
ate for tho fnIl term of SIX years, and
who has hitherto been pronounced op.
ponent 81 prohibition, has written very
important letter declining an Invitation
TO address State convention st Dallas,
and declaring himself strongly ia favor
Of the prohibilory amendment. We
quote the msjor portion Of bis letter as
followa:
''if had leisure TO engage Ia this
discnnaion, with all respect for the opin-
ions Of the meeting you represent, I
could no. concur with the views ex-
pressed 10 your letter. While / have
heretofore fe't constrained to oppose
prohibition because It's friends songht
10 make II political issue and 20 an.
tagonize aud overthrow tbs Democratic
party, that reason does not now exist,
aud am not inslined, by speech or vote,
to countsnance tho evils 90 wing from
the selling and drinking Of Intoxicating
liquors as now prsctised, or to give to
them the moral support Of public opin-
ion or the protection Of the State GOV.
ernment.
"In every community we find men,
once houored and respected, reduced TO
poverty, wretchsdnsss aud dishonor by
spending their money and time 10 drink
ing saloons /: wives weighed down with
grief snd sorrow ani want, and heart
broken and helpless children growing
up IN Ignorance, beggary and vice be-
cause husbands aud fathers have bean
made dtunkaris ard vsgabonds hv
patronizing the drinking saloons. Mil
lions of dollars are invested in this
business Of making men dlnnksrds and
10 producing the desoIation and ruin of
women and ehildren, which, ii employed
10 agriculture, manufacturing, or com
msrcial pursuits, and directed hy the
talents and time wastsd IN these drink.
lug houses, would add untold millions 10
the aggregated wealth Of happy families
that are now made miserable because
this money and time srs given to the
selling ani drinking Of intoxicating IL
qnors.
"The trainers of our State constiss-
ton, having reference To these evil,
provided that the Legislature shall At
its Grst session enact Law whereby the
qualified voters of any county, Justices
precinct, town or city, by = majority
vote, from time to time may determine
whether the sale Of Intoxicating liquors
shall be prohibited within the p,cscriL-
ed limits. II would be 10 great limo
vation upon this principle for The peo-
pie of the State 70 adop. constitutional
provision declaring that the manufsc-
turs, sale an Exchange of Intoxicating
liquors, except for medical, mechanical,
and scientific purposes, l. hereby pro-
hibitsd in the State Of Texas The
State Democratic convention which met
ct Galveston last summer inserted in
It's platform of principles a declaration
10 substance that citizen might be
local optioniat or a prohibitionist, and
At the sams tims bs : Democrat.
"Ths p,esen. Legislature wisely de-
termined, in submitting the question Of
the adoption Of the prohibition amend
ment by vote of the people, that the
election should be held at time when
no other election was to be held, IN or
der that the people might pass upon
that question unembarrassed b. any
other political question or elections, 50
that the election should be non-parti-
san. In view Of these facts. with sll
respect for the meeting At Austin and
committed must express my regret
that any effort has been made to make
party question Of IL; and especially
do I ragret that Democrats should seek
to ideatify that great aud grand historic
| party with the fortunes and fate Of
whiskay shops, s,dtnnkards and criminsls,
"There In broad difference between
laws which interfere with Legitimate
trade and with such as would interfere
with the purchase aud sale OF necessary
food, drink and raiment, called .sump-
tuary laws, and laws which have 70:
their object the prevention and punish
ment Of crime and the preservation oI
public morals and deosnoy. And |
think il hardly just to the memory Of
Mr.. Jefferson 10 assume that he won.d
not have recognized this distinction.
"I have during all the years Of my
manhood been Democrat of the strait
est sect, and an earnest and enthusiastic
disciple cf Thomas Jefferson, whom ]
regard as the greatest poitical philoso-
pher aud Statesman this country has
ever produced and I would be as fal
from desiring to see laws passed. which
would interfere with the freedom Of
legitimate commerce., or which would
undertake to control the purchase, sale
and use Of necessary food, drink or ap.
parel, as any one could be. But be.
] lieve il to be the dntv Of the people in